No Riding the Alligator

Hubby and I are planning a trip to Florida and RJC will be coming along as well. Our very patient, loving and generous cousins have offered to have all of us stay with them.


There's just one teeny tiny issue:

There is an alligator that pretty much lives outside their place.


An alligator.


Now over the years we have told RJC some important rules. The rule: "No riding the dog" was especially important when she was smaller and larger dogs were looking mighty fun to hop on. We needed to say it as a reminder if we were going to somebody's house or we were out and about in the community and we spotted a large dog. "No riding the dog" was a part of our repertoire. Still, we had never considered that we would need to tell her "No riding the alligator."


The big problem is that we are not absolutely sure that she would care what we tell her once she sees the thing. She really, really likes alligators.  In fact, any big sort of creature is right up her alley. Like alligators. So sadly, we are not staying with these most beloved cousins but instead we have rented a condo.


I kid you not.


RJC has always had very good motor skills and no comprehension of danger. When she was young, she also did not have the receptive language skills to understand rules. This is a dangerous combination. We used a toddler harness for a ridiculously long time. As she has grown in size, I thank goodness she has also gained language skills so we can remind her about the safety rules. While her increased language skills have given us some peace of mind, when something is really enticing to her...like an alligator...we cannot count on her to remember or care about the rule.




So if you happen to meet up with us while we are on vacation and you happen to hear one of us say to RJC, "Remember. No riding the alligator." We aren't kidding.